Page 71 of The Night Before Christmas
Felicity held up a hand. ‘That’s enough detail, thanks. So… was there ever a black-tie party? On New Year? Or was that just your escape clause?’
James looked blank for a second before realisation spread across his features and lifted his eyebrows just a fraction.
‘Oh that. There was a party. There was definitely a party. I just found myself not particularly wanting to go to it.’ This in a low voice.
‘Oh.’ Felicity was properly blushing now. ‘Oh, that’s good, I mean. I like that answer.’
‘Good.’ James began moving towards her but Felicity put up a hand and he stopped obediently, an amused look on his face.
‘Can I ask something else?’
‘Do I have a choice?’
‘What do you do for a living, exactly?’
James laughed out loud. Actually laughed. ‘How do you not know that?’
‘I don’t know! I think we went too far down the line and then it was too late to ask. Like, you know, if you’ve met someone three or four times at a party or something it’s far too late to ask them what their name is so you just have to pretend to know it? Or wait for someone else to say it? Like that.’
‘I feel like whatever I say is going to be a huge disappointment at this point.’
‘You’re right, it will be. A horrible disappointment. On second thoughts, don’t tell me, I’ll just make it up instead.’
‘Go on then. Can we walk though? It’s bloody freezing.’
‘Fine, let’s walk,’ said Felicity, slipping her arm through his. It felt deliciously solid through his thick coat.
They walked down the central path towards a large ornamental pond. Despite it being a busy Saturday, the place felt as if it had been abandoned, apart from one nuclear family at the water’s edge. They could just make them out through the mist. There was a young mum and dad shepherding a tiny toddler, who was wrapped in a thick body suit and hood. He appeared to be feeding the ducks or was he torturing them? It was hard to tell. Ducks were scattering in all directions, that much was for sure.
Surveying the scene, feeling the solidity of that arm under her hand, Felicity’s face began to ache. She was grinning like an idiot. She sneaked a look up at James and saw he had a huge smile on his face too.
‘So, go on then,’ she said, feeling it might be helpful to exercise her face a little. ‘What do you do, exactly?’
‘Ah no, that’s cheating, you said you were going to guess.’
‘Actually, I said I was going to make it up.’
‘Go on then, give it a go.’
‘Spy?’
‘No.’
‘Astronaut?’
‘Nope.’
‘Um… mortgage adviser?’
‘Ha, no!’
‘Oh, that’s the one you scoff at. Right, so I was obviously closer with astronaut, how intriguing. Okay, fine. Erm, hedge fund manager?’
‘Do you even know what one of those is?’
‘No. Do you?’
‘Not a clue.’ James laughed. ‘But I’d guess I’m about as far from that as you can imagine.’
